Radiant panel heating for buildings



April 10, 1951 E. A. MILBORN RADIANT PANEL HEATING FOR BUILDINGS,

Filed Sept. 5, 1946 oooo0o 000 INVEN I'OR EDWARD A MILBORN ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 10, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE RADIANT PANEL HEATING FOR BUILDINGS Edward A. Milborn, Baldwin, N. Y.

Application September 5, 1946, Serial N 0. 694,955

1' Claim. (01. 257-124) This invention relates to the field of radiant panel heating, which involves the heating of the floors, or ceilings of a room by the circulation of a heating fluid through a system of conduits.

It has been the practice in the past, in this field, to employ a network of intercommunicating pipes supported in grooves or embedded in concrete for carrying hot water and from which the heat diffuses, through radiant action, to warm a room. There are several disadvantages in such known panel systems, one of which is that the plaster which faces the interior of the room is not in direct contact with the pipes carrying the circulating heating medium, as a result of which the heat dissipation is not as eiiicient as may be desired.

The present invention overcomes these disadvantages, and provides a radiant heating panel for use in the walls, floor, or ceiling of a room composed of ducts which may be placed in intimate contact with the plaster, thus insuring most efficient heat transfer or dissipation.

Briefly stated, the heating panel of the invention comprises a pair of contacting metal sheets or plates only one of which, preferably, is

deformed to form the bulging walls of a network 7 of intercommunicating conduits. Thesev metal plates can be made of any suitable material, such as steel, copper, brass or galvanized iron, and

where the selected metal is such that there is the possibility of rusting, it may be desirable to coat the interior of the conduits or ducts with a non-rusting and non-corroding metal. The conduits are made by tightly joining the plates together, as by welding. The deformed plate is provided with means for supporting the superposed insulating material, such as plaster, in intimate association therewith, so as to enable most efficient heat dissipation into the room. This means may consist of spaced projections on the plate or spaced apertures therein for assuring a firm bond between metal plate and plaster. These projections may be portions of the plate which are pressed outwardly to form a design and still be continuous with the plate, or punched from the plate to form appendages which are united to the plate at their bases.

The following is a more detailed description of the invention, in conjunction with a drawing, wherein Fig. 1 illustrates a front or side elevation view of the heating panel of the invention, before the application of plaster or other insulating material thereto;

Fig. 2 illustrates a cross-section of Fig. 1 along 2 the line 2-2, and shows in addition, how plaster may be firmly bonded to the panel in intimate contact therewith; and

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate, by means of small sections of panel, a modification of the radiant heating panel of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the heatin panel of the invention comprises a pair of metal plates I and 2. Plate I has a sinuous conduit or duct 3 terminating in an inlet 4 and an outlet 5 for the passage of heating or cooling fiuid. This'conduit may have other shapes, such as rectangular, or triangular, and may be formed by a suitable pressing operation. Plate 2 is fiat and tightly joined to plate I in fluid tight relation by welding preferably at all points adjacent the bulging conduit walls 3. Points A and B in Fig. 2 indicate the preferred lines along which the welding is effected, for holding the plates firmly together and defining between them the liquid conduit or passageway.

For mounting the panel on suitable slabs or layers of insulating material 6, there are provided in both plates 1 and 2 small mounting holes I which register with each other and can accommodate a nail or screw of suitable size.

' Plate l is shown provided with spaced round holes 8 and elongated slots 9 for enabling the overlying plaster layer It to set therein, thus assuring a firm bond and intimate contact between this plate at all points on its outer surface and the overlying plaster layer. Obviously, the apertures 8 and 9 can take other shapes and have other relative sizes and spacings, and, if desired, may register with suitable apertures, not shown, in fiat plate 2 for assuring this intimate association and firm bond between panel and plaster.

Not all of the apertures 8 and 9 have been shown in Fig. 1, in order to simplify the drawing, but it should be understood that these apertures appear at different points over that surface of plate I which is designed to face the interior of the room to be heated, and that the apertures may or may not be symmetrically positioned.

In installing the radiant heating panel of the invention, during the construction of a building, the mounting layer of insulation 6 is first placed in position, after which the panel I, 2 is secured to this insulation layer. Thereafter, the plaster I9 is applied to the outer surface of plate I in plastic form and permitted to harden or set with portions thereof firmly embedded in the apertures 8 and 9.

Fig. 3 shows an alternative form of construction for the panel of Figs. 1 and 2, differing therefrom essentially in the manner of bonding the plaster layer to the plate I. Suitable projections II on metallic plate I replace the apertures 8 and 9 of Fig. 1. These projections H are in the form of straps which are punched from the plate but attached thereto at their bases. The hollow spaces between the ends of the straps enable the plaster to reach into this space and assure a firm and solid bond between plaster and plate. The straps I I thus embed themselves in the overlying plaster layer when it is setting, for assuring the firm bond and intimate contact between the panel and the plaster. Except for this difference, the construction of the panel of Fig. 3 is the same as that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows still another form of construction in which outwardly pressed diamond-shaped portions I2 are utilized to insure the firm bond between the metallic plate 1" and the overlying plastic layer. Obviously, these projecting portions may take a variety of configurations.

What is claimed is:

For use in a radiant heating system, a panel designed for concealed use behind a wall, floor or ceiling of a room, said panel comprising a pair lation, at least one of said plates being deformed to produce a network of intercommunicating conduits, one of said plates having punched out straps integral therewith at both ends for supporting on said one plate in direct contact with the entire outer surface thereof a layer of plaster, said straps having hollow spaces between said ends to enable said plaster to enter therein while in a plastic state.

EDWARD A. MILBORN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,015,404 Schewzik Jan. 23, 1912 1,778,145 Cumfer Oct. 14, 1930 1,877,964 Purser Sept. 10, 1932 1,888,900 Austen Nov. 22, 1932 2,382,340 Smith Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 260,414 Great Britain Nov. 4, 1926 382,580 Great Britain Oct. 27, 1932 

